The present invention relates to temperature responsive valve devices and more particularly to temperature responsive valve devices having a pair of bimetal discs which are arranged to snap over center in response to changes in temperature to thereby control a fluid passage.
Various temperature responsive valve devices are known which include a bimetal disc which is adapted to snap over center in response to a change in temperature to thereby provide an on-off control for a fluid passage. That is, as the temperature increases, the bimetal disc will snap over center in one direction and as the temperature decreases, the bimetal disc will snap over center to assume its original position. When it is desired to provide a two step control for a fluid passage while the temperature is increasing, such as controlling the passage from an opened condition, to a closed condition and then to a re-opened condition in response to sequential rises in temperature, a plurality of temperature responsive valve devices have to be arranged. Such a multiplicity of temperature responsive valve devices necessarily increases the cost of the device and makes it much more difficult to assemble the plurality of temperature responsive valve devices into a limited space such as would be found in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle.